Regent Seven Seas Cruises will be including free and unlimited shore excursions as standard in its cruise price from 2011.
Free shore excursions were introduced on selected cruises this year to help boost bookings. The offer was then extended to cover all 2010 departures.
At the Dover Cruise Convention in June, Regent UK managing director Graham Sadler said the excursions had been so well received they could become part of the cruiseline’s all-inclusive product. All drinks, meals in the speciality restaurants, and gratuities are also included in the cruise price.
Speaking yesterday, when Regent’s all-suite, all-balcony, Seven Seas Voyager was in Southampton, on its way to the Mediterranean after a Baltic summer season, Sadler said shore excursions will be included in the cruise price from 2011. The only exception would be the more-expensive shore excursions, such as flights over Alaska, which will be heavily subsidised, rather than free.
“It’s a simple message and once people realised the extent of what we were offering, the reaction was great. Since July, we have forgotten about 2009 and concentrated on selling 2010. We don’t have any data on the numbers taking the excursions but we know people are taking up the offers as the ships are empty during port days,” Sadler said.
The offer means an average saving of between $50 and $80 per person per four-hour excursion. Passengers can book as many per day as they can fit into the schedule.
Sadler said agents liked the free excursion offer as it meant the cruise price had been protected so their commission was unaffected. “Prices will go up a bit for 2011, but there will be some early-booking offers,” he said.
Cruises for the first quarter of 2011, including the world cruise from San Diego to Civitavecchia (Rome) on Seven Seas Voyager, go on sale at the beginning of October, with the rest on sale by the end of November. There is also a pre-world cruise, from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego, and a post-world cruise, which will bring the ship to Southampton.
Sadler is hoping the ship will offer a no-fly cruise from the UK, before starting a Baltic summer season. “I am confident we’ll get the ex-UK departure, but probably just one to start. We have to prove we can fill it,” he said.